It started at Breakfast
by pass-the-fans
Summary: A co-op story written by 9 TSOM fans... : Maria and Georg get together in a new way... and it all started at breakfast.


**A/N: this is a co-op story written over the period of 6 months (July- December 2013)… it has gathered a bit of dust on our Pro board, but we would like to share it with you… But please NOTE that given the fact that 9 women have been writing on this it is bound to hold a few smaller mistakes and a few BIG glaring mistakes… But if you can see through these facts (ex they go from having dinner to having a picnic instead etc.) then please do enjoy and leave a review… thanks. **

**These ladies (in no particular order) have contributed to this story…: **

**augiesannie****, mie779, ****04som****, ****lemacd****, ****mquest****, ****Fawkes****, ****maryanne741****, ****utility_singer****, ****gothicbutterfly95.**

(PS: note that every line shift is marking where a new writer has taken over… and the three dots (…) just shows that some lines are connected but written by two different writers. It doesn't make the story "flow" easier, but shows the diversity of the writers, some wrote long, some short, but in the end it turned out to be a sweet fluffy story… enjoy)

**It started at breakfast**

"Good morning, Captain," said Maria, entering the dining room. For once, she was on time! She looked around, surprised. Where…

...was the Baroness? Maria had thought that she would had been present this morning. Her eyes fell on the captain, who...

…was staring back at her, with his deep dark blue eyes, causing a light blush to her cheeks "excuse me Captain, is something wrong?" she questioned, looking a little confused at his stare. "Um... nothing at all Fraulein, just a little deep in...

"...thoughts. I'm glad we're alone because I've been meaning to ask you something." Maria felt her pulse quicken.  
"You did?"  
"Yes," he replied, standing up from his chair and moving closer to her. "I was wondering if..."

"…you would have dinner with me?"  
Maria paused at the question. "Of course, Captain, I have dinner with the family every night."

Then it hit her. Maybe he didn't want her to have dinner with the family anymore. Maybe she was only supposed to join them on invitation. Perhaps there was no longer an open seat at his table for her now that the Baroness was here.  
"No Fraulein...what I meant was...would you have..."

"...dinner with me? Just the two of us?" His voice rumbled soft and low as he finished the question, and his deep blue eyes stared at her, unwavering.  
"Oh! Well, tha…that sounds lovely, I must say... I suppose it would be no trouble to feed the children early so cook as time to..."  
"No, Maria," he interrupted with the shake of his head. "You don't seem to understand. What I'm asking is..."

"...for us to go out, in town, and have a meal together. Just the two of us." The Captains nerve was beginning to wan as Maria tried to make sense of his question. In her mind she only heard her name uttered from his lips over and over again and hadn't really listened to the rest of what he had to say...

Then it dawned to her and her blue eyes widened. He was actually asking her out on a date. But why? He was engaged to the Baroness...

…and she did not think it would be appropriate to accept his invitation, no matter how much she wanted to.

What is he thinking?! She thought; her mind racing. If he holds his engagement to the baroness with such little regard, he could at least respect that I'm going to be a nun! Maria was about to give him a sharp rebuff when he took her hand and looked into her face, his deep blue eyes melting her resolve.  
"Maria," he said softly. "There isn't going to be a baroness." It was as though he could read her mind.  
"There isn't?"  
"No," he said with a touch of disgust. "I discovered two things last night. The first is that you can't marry someone when you're in love with someone else. The other is that Baroness Schraeder is not all she portrays herself to be. I learned that she..."

He stopped talking, when seven children chatting happely enterted the dining room. Maria withdrew her hand quickly from the Captains grasp and hurried to her chair...

Her mind whirled with thoughts on this new turn of events... No Baroness?! And her focus suddenly turned to the fact that he seemed to love someone else... Who? Her mind worked on overtime when it suddenly dawned on her just _why_ he asked _her_ to go out for dinner...

Was it true? Did she hear it right? Is she going to have a date with HIM? The first date in her life. Her heart skipped a beat and she looked at him, a little smile formed on her lips and softly nodded. He understood her gesture, and nodded back to her, his face equally reflecting joy. He knew he was in love with her and tonight would be their first date together.

The day flew by in a blur for Maria. She tried to devote her focus to the children, but her mind constantly drifted back to his words, which made her think about his delicious voice. From there she could only drift further to think about his beautiful eyes and the way he looked at her... soft, smoldering, and so expressive. So much to read into and yet she didn't even know where to start.  
Snap out of it, she scolded herself. He's your employer! You're here on God's errand! Still...

…her treasonous heart kept beating much to fast when the day soon turned into dinner time... So many questions whirled in her head when she tried to get the children ready for dinner, who would take care of the children? Where would they go? What were his intentions, why did he want to have dinner with her? While she walked down the steps with the children she tried to look calm as if nothing was out of the ordinary, though she did have a feeling that Liesl cast her far too many curious glances.

At that moment, Frau Schmidt marched across the hall to the children waving her hand for them to head toward the dining room.  
"Come along, children. Dinner is ready."

"But what about Fraulein Maria?" asked Marta, as she followed the others.  
"She has the night off."  
"What about Father?"  
"Enough questions, Marta dear. Please do as I say before the food gets cold." When the last child had disappeared, Frau Schmidt turned and gave Maria a quick wink and continued her task to oversee the children for the evening.  
He thought of everything, Maria marveled. I wonder what else that man has planned for me tonight.

"Stop it!" she told herself, sternly. "You will drive yourself mad with all this worrying! You can handle whatever the evening brings," she told herself, only half-believing it. She wondered for a moment if, perhaps, she should have done something to prepare - she was still wearing the simple cotton dress she'd worn all afternoon, and had barely had a moment to wash her face. But surely, it wasn't appropriate for her to care about her appearance - was it? Her glance flew, reflexively, to the mirror on the wall. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes - oh, dear, it was true what Sister Berthe always said, Maria's eyes gave the truth away no matter how hard she tried to conceal it, and right now, they shone with anticipation and the tiniest bit of fear. She took a deep breath, only for her composure to shatter a moment later when she heard a dark voice behind her. "Fraulein. What is that mirror is telling you that has you so enthralled?"

Maria spun around facing the subject of her thoughts, the Captain, who now stood right there in front of her with that devious half smile of his, as if he know perfectly well on what she had been thinking.  
-"Oh Captain...I... I'm..." Maria turned her eyes downwards and placed both her hands on her flaming hot cheeks, trying to make some form of coherent respond.  
-"Are you ready to leave for our dinner?" He asked casually. Maria's head spun with worries and even more questions. And her mind came to a conclusion that slipped out of her mouth before she had a chance to avoid it: "NO!... I'm... I don't... oh captain I don't think I have proper dress to wear." She kept her eyes glued to the floor, hoping beyond all hopes that he would not laugh at her outburst.  
But the captain merely chuckled a little and...

…put his finger under her chin and lifted her beautiful face to meet his eyes. He could see the worry in her ocean blue eyes. He smiled at her.  
"Do not worry Fräulein. I know that you're not comfortable to go to huge public places. So I asked the cook to prepare something for us."  
Maria looked questionably at him. Her mind was caught up about he thought about her not having anything to wear that she couldn't comprehend that he wanted to take her out on a picnic...

"Come on then," he said. "Let's make our getaway quickly, before they catch us." He opened the door and motioned her through. His car was in the driveway, waiting. Maria noticed a blanket in the back seat, and an umbrella, but . . . . "C-captain. Sir. Haven't you forgotten . . . ."

"... the picnic basket... one would think to bring food for a picnic." Maria asked with amusement.  
-"Oh how very clumsy of me." Georg face-palmed himself, something that Maria thought to be rather out of character for his somewhat stiff navy personality, but when she saw him turn around wiping his palms in his trousers, she gathered that he must be a little nervous. This thought made her smile and when he turned around shortly and said: "Don't move, I'll be back in a moment" She could only give him a polite nod trying to let him know that she would never dream of moving even an inch.

Within minutes, they were on their way, the picnic basket safely stowed in the back. It was a beautiful day, warm and sunny. A gentle breeze played on Maria's face as the car sped toward the mountains. Yet Maria could not relax. An awkward silence seemed to fill the space around them. Her mind raced: what was the Captain up to? What would the Baroness say if she knew how they were spending the day together? Or perhaps he merely wanted to discuss the children's education, her plans to leave the villa at the end of the summer . . . Suddenly, the silence was broken. He cleared his throat, as if to speak, and she turned to him. The expression on his face shocked her.

His eyes held a tender gleam that she had never seen in his eyes before, not that she had looked all that much directly into her employer's eyes. All she knew now was that his eyes seemed to bore into her very soul and heart making it beat much too fast. He seemed to hesitate to speak and he reached up to scratch behind his ear in a nervous gesture, then his hand rested firmly on the steering wheel once again. Her mind searched frantically for something to break the awkward silence that still loomed in the car. Just then she noticed them turning up a very familiar road.  
-"We're going to my mountain?" it was more of a statement than a question.  
-"Yes, I wanted to see this magical mountain my children have been raving about and..."

...I'm afraid I'd get lost up there without you, hm?" he winked.  
"Tell me," he went on, "just what is it you enjoy doing when you're up there for hours at a time, alone?"

Maria could feel her face getting hotter. She was beginning to think he liked to tease her just to see what shade of red it would produce.  
"You'd only laugh at me if I told you," she answered, refusing to give him fodder for his merciless torment.  
"Can I help it if you amuse me?" he chuckled. "But I promise I won't laugh at you. I wouldn't have asked if I didn't really want to know." Maria sighed and rolled her eyes at him.  
"Very well, if you MUST know," she grumbled. "I sing."  
"Of course you do," he smiled. "I should have known. Is that all?"  
"No, sometimes I sit quietly and think," she answered less confidently. "Especially if I have a problem."

"I see," he said, trying to stay lighthearted. "And what kind of problems do postulants have exactly?"

"Well... we have problems like anyone else," Maria said vaguely.  
"Such as?" he asked again. The Captain knew he was being relentless, but he really did wish to know. She was hopelessly joyful and interminably optimistic.  
"Well, nuns aren't perfect beings, sir. They don't always get along with each other and I, uh, don't always give a good first impression. I don't suppose that would be too difficult to believe for you." He laughed at her last comment, recalling her first day. If he weren't so determined to go to Vienna in the morning he probably would have driven her back to the abbey himself.  
"Fraulein, you won my children's affection that first night. That's no small compliment when you consider their history with governesses. And well... I was probably your toughest adversary and yet you have managed to, uh... hmmm." It was his turn to fumble for words.  
"I managed to what, sir?" Maria felt the heat starting to rise in her face. She hoped he didn't notice but he did and found it completely endearing.  
"Make me like you, there... I said it. I like you, Fraulein."  
"Oh," she said, surprised. She was shocked, not so much by his confession but by the way it pleased her.  
They didn't speak the rest of the way. They finally found a place to have their picnic and set things up with very little conversation. Finally the awkward feeling became too much for the Captain to bear. He had nothing else to lose.  
"The fact is, Maria..."

"…I do like you. I like you very much." Eyebrows raised, he gazed into her face for a long moment, as though asking a question.  
Maria was - mortified. Delighted. Confused. She hardly knew how to feel, or what to say. But it didn't matter, really, because it didn't seem like she was going to be able to say anything at all. She sat, frozen, until he at least relented and looked away with a chuckle.  
As if he wanted to make things easier for her, he went on, gently. "I've been making some plans. I don't think - well, you know what is happening here in Austria. It is only a matter of time before they come looking for me to serve, and it will be impossible for me to say no without tragic consequences. I trust you, and only you, with this information: I am making plans to take my family out of Austria. And I need your help. No - I want your help. I want you to come with us."  
He leaned closer to her, so close she could feel his breath on her cheek. "Do you understand what I am asking you, Maria?"  
"Y-yes" she stammered. "You want me to...

…help you with the children, when we're escaping." She managed to say. She had difficulties to think straight, as her body was reacting to his closeness. She had goose bumps all over her body and she was trembling. Georg noticed the trembling, but he misread it. She doesn't feel the same, he thought. He leaned back to give her some space. What was he thinking? That she would love him too like he loved her? No of course not. He felt stupid, but he didn't show it.  
"Yes of course. That's what I am asking of you. Of course it's your choice. I don't want to force you into anything. I am just thinking of the children and how much they love you," he rambled and turned his gaze on the road again and continued driving...

**(NOTE: the most glaring "mistake": they're out of the car now... they found a place to set up the picnic two posts back...! We continue the story AT the picnic site**** ) **

Georg motioned for Maria to take a seat on the picnic blanket and when she had found a spot he sat down himself, with the picnic basket placed between them. He was still nervous over the whole conversation they had shared moments before. He had hoped she would have read his true intentions in his words, but it appeared as if she was oblivious to how he really felt about her. His mind turned over several scenarios on how he could bring up his intentions towards her, her innocence was obvious as she cast him curious glances over the picnic basket. Georg smiled at her and then turned the focus on the delicious food in the basket as he started to pull out various mouthwatering sandwiches and other picnic foods. At the very bottom of the basket he found some delicious strawberries, he placed them to one side saving them for desert, and then he offered Maria one of the sandwiches.  
When Maria took the offered sandwich her fingers accidentally touched his warm fingers, something shot through her body, heat she had not felt before. She looked up at him and what she saw in the blue depths of his eyes shocked her in someway, never had she seen his eyes so dark and filled with some huge amount of longing that she had a hard time figuring out the meaning of.

Leaving Austria was no small matter and what he was requesting her to consider would alter the course of her life. She pledged her life in service to God. She adored those children and would gladly do anything to ensure their survival and safety. She was certain the Captain knew that about her. But did he also know that becoming a nun was not a passing fancy? Why, it was... it was... what was it?  
She didn't tell the Captain that the biggest problem that all postulants struggle with is doubt. That is, all of them but her. She secretly lost patience with others who expressed uncertainty about their calling. She knew what she wanted and was unwavering in her belief that it was God's will for her.  
Suddenly, sitting here so close to him, listening to the mellow tone of his beautiful voice, smelling the gentle scent of him whirling around her head with the summer breezes, and feeling the power of his eyes pulling her gaze constantly into his proud face... she doubted everything.  
She placed the sandwich down on her napkin. In her current state of mind, she was sure that she would choke on any bite she took. That is, if she managed to swallow.  
"Uh, Captain... you didn't have to bring me all the way here to ask me that question," she managed, shocked that her voice didn't betray her by faltering. "Why did you bring me here... really?"

He turned away from her before responding, but she did not miss the look of disappointment that crossed his face, the slumped shoulders. "I don't know what you mean by that, Fraulein," he said, carefully. "Surely you don't think that I brought you all the way up here just to. . ."

Georg had just reached for another sandwich when he heard her question; it took him a few seconds to fully understand what she asked. Suddenly he realized that this was a God given opportunity to get back to his true intentions. Pulling away from the picnic basket he ran his hand over his face trying to clear his mind. It was hard to find focus when he looked at her, sitting up here on her beautiful mountain, the wind sweeping through her short hair. He still had to fully understand just why this amazing woman seemed to have captivated his heart, all he knew was that he loved her... oh yes it was love he felt, he had no doubt about that.  
-"You're right; I didn't have to bring you up here to ask you to come with us... I do have something else I want to talk to you about, something that will change both our lives in ways I hope you're ready to embrace... I..."

He made an obvious effort to choose his words carefully. "If you came with us, Fraulein . . . I would not want you to come with us just because the children have grown so close to you. Although clearly they have."

"I adore them!" she said, brightly, trying to steer the conversation to safer ground.  
He shook his head. "I don't know what to do. I don't want to make you uncomfortable or frighten you. That's why I brought you up here - I know you are more at home here on the mountain than anywhere else. And perhaps - perhaps I have imaged it all. But sometimes, sometimes, dear Fraulein, it seems to me that you..."

"...are not as sure of yourself when you talk about becoming a nun. Not like you were at the beginning. And I wondered if maybe your time with us has given you a glimpse of a future you never considered for yourself. I know you planned your future, but... well, I thought I planned my future, too. But then something happened and it has changed every thing for me. Something wonderful. Something good."  
"Wh-what do you mean, something happened?" Maria asked breathlessly, her eyes wide with fascination.  
"Well, it isn't so much that some_thing_ happened as some_one_ happened... it was you, Maria. You marched into our home, turned it upside down, and made us fall in love with you..."  
"Us?"

"Yes... we _all_fell in love with you... the youngest practically sees you as their mother now, and I know the oldest children sees you as their confidant... and I... I... well the thing is..." Georg suddenly had no clue how to express his own feelings towards her; he feared that she would flee the scene. He ran a hand through his hair and rubbed his neck, trying to relieve some of the tension he felt inside him.  
Maria looked at him with wonder in her eyes, she had never, _never_, seen him at such loss of words before. Her own heart began to beat much to fast, while she looked over his features; his hair was now in disarray, something that strangely enough made her hear skip a beat.

"Yes...?" Maria asked timidly, she sensed that something huge was about to be said.  
Georg looked straight into her blue eyes and he was suddenly very much aware of how much his next words would change both their lives. The only thing that kept him going on was the fact that he saw no trace of fear in her amazing eyes.  
"Well the thing is that while you have changed my children... I think... no... I _know_ that the person you have changed the most is me..." He kept his eyes locked on hers, trying to read her reaction to his words. Her eyes went wide in wonder, and then some new found recognition entered her eyes. He gave her a small smile trying to reach out to her without words.  
Maria tried to fully understand the meaning and importance of his words. _She_ had changed him, oh yes she had seen his change towards his children, but looking into his eyes she somehow just knew that it was _not_ what he had meant by his words.  
She looked down at her hands, fiddling with the hem of her dress, her heart beat wildly in her ears. Her own feelings towards the man in front her, was still new and slightly unnerving to her. Weeks before she had been certain that she was going to be a nun, now she was pretty sure, that would not be part of her life. Her heart reached out to her new future.  
She looked back up into his eyes, the blue depths pulled her in and she tried to let him know what she felt: "You are not the only one who have been changed by this... this... I have realized that I might never become a nun after all."  
When the words registered in his brain his smile became even wider, in not so many words she had said that she too felt something had changed between them.

They stood there for the longest time, staring deeply into each others' eyes, neither wanted to break the spell. Her heart was pounding so hard that she wasn't sure she heard him when, at last, he seemed to speak her name: "Maria, I want you to…"  
A loud clap of thunder filled the air. They had not noticed the dark clouds rolling in, but now it was impossible to miss the wind that whipped through their hair and tore through their picnic. Fat raindrops began to fall.  
He reached for her hand. "We'd better run for it!"

Leaving the picnic items behind, the pair ran to the safety of the car. Once inside, Georg turned to Maria, and reached to cup her cheek as he wiped away the rainwater dripping down her face. She looked up and their eyes locked.

Maria felt his warm hand on her cheek, her eyes blinking away the large drops of rain lingering in her eyelashes. She felt her heart race while he just sat there smiling in front of her. Never in her life had she felt this way, she tried to refocus on their talk back at the picnic blanket, and what his words really meant. Deep down she felt peace and calmness, as if she knew how much her life would now be connected to the man next to her. Taking a deep breath of air she raised her hand and rested it over his much larger one on her cheek, trying to tell him what she was feeling.  
Georg wracked his brain with possible ways to tell her how much she meant to him, how much he loved her. When he felt her hand rest over his own his smile grew wider, and when he saw the sincerity and calmness in her eyes he quietly whispered: "Maria, I love you." He had a million more words he wanted to say to her but those three words literally summed up his every emotion running through him at that moment.

He tenderly moved his fingers down her jaw line, allowing his thumb to gently caress her lips. She shivered with anticipation, as he leaned into her and joined his mouth with hers. Gently at first, Georg felt her respond so he pressed more fully, brushing her lips with his tongue. She whimpered softly, and lifted her own hand to run her fingers through his chestnut colored hair.  
Slowly, she pulled her mouth from his, and gazed into his eyes. "I love you, too. I never dreamed..."

Maria looked down. She was too embarrassed to admit it to him. But Georg felt that there was something she wasn't telling him, so he put his index finger under her chin and lifted her face gently. When she looked at him, he could she unshed tears in those beautiful ocean blue eyes. He got worried.  
"What is it liebling? Please tell me," he asked her.  
Maria had to smile when she heard the endearing nickname. She took his hand in his and caressed it when she began to tell him.  
"I never told you how I grew up, didn't I?"  
Georg shook his head. "No not in so many words."  
Maria sighed, "I was very young when my parents died from Scarlet fever. So I ended up living with my uncle on a farm. But he didn't want me around, and believe me he showed and told me more than once. He was a heavy drinker too, so when he got home from a night in the pub and I wasn't asleep, he beat me, called me names and screamed at me what a nuisance I was and that no one would ever love me."  
By now Maria was crying and thick tears were running down her soft cheeks.  
"And after some time, I began to believe him that I wasn't worthy to be loved by anyone. That's why I never dreamed of this, I mean that someone like you could love me. I..." She didn't get any further as all of her emotion took over and she wasn't able anymore to talk for now. Georg pulled her to him and wrapped his arms protectively around her, and let her cry into his chest. Georg made soothing noises and rubbed her back to calm her down. He did that while he was thinking about, how much he wanted to punch that monster of an uncle. But he was also so amazed at how she had stayed this way. To him she was like and angel. They sat like this for some time, until Maria untangled herself from him. Wiping her eyes she said, "Oh Georg I am so sorry for that. I shouldn't have reacted this way."  
Georg took her small hands in his large ones. "Liebling, you don't have to apologize, I am glad that you told me. And let me tell you something. You are the most beautiful creature in this world. You are everything a man could want, and..." He stopped then, he wasn't sure how to say this.  
Maria blinked and waited "Yes?" she asked.  
Georg looked back at her hands, and then into her eyes.  
"And... I would be honored and properly the happiest man alive if you would be my wife and the spend the rest of your days with me and my children..."

Maria's head was spinning. If anything she thought the recount of her childhood would only make the Captain more determined not to be involved with her. But he didn't seem to be fazed about what had happened in her past. But if anything, the events of tonight had only confirmed which path her life was meant to take.  
"Now I _know_ I will never be a nun," she breathed. "I would be honored to be your wife and live the rest of my life with you and the children."

"Oh, my love," Georg leaned over to Maria, taking her in his arms and kissing her with such tenderness and love it brought tears to Maria's eyes.

As Maria quickly responded, Georg deepened the kiss; running his tongue across her lips. Her mouth opened to accept it, seemingly on its own. She was slightly surprised at the sensation, and it fanned the flames of her desire to be closer to him. She moved just a bit, enough so that her hands could reach up and touch his hair, his cheek, his neck. Her fingers tickled just above his collar, and Georg moaned in response to her touch on his bare skin.

Then, a thought entered Maria's head and she broke of the kiss and sat up sharply. "...Georg," she murmured, slightly unsure about the fact that she was using his name for the first time. After all, an hour ago she had planned on living her life out at the Abbey and he was still technically her employer, her engaged employer. "What do we do about the Baroness?"  
Georg smiled upon hearing her say his name, but he realized she did have a point. And if he planned to have any sort of future with her, it was a point that needed to be addressed. "You leave all that to me," he said. "Remember, Maria, I love you, and you've made it quite clear you love me. And no matter what is forced in our way, if our love is strong enough, it can overcome anything."

"Georg, I love you more that I ever imagined loving anyone. I trust you will do whatever is necessary." She fixed her blue eyes on his, and in them he saw all he ever wanted or needed: Her heart, her soul, her trust, her love. He pulled her close to him again, and thanked God above for sending Maria to him and his family.

**A/N: If you want to be inspired to write a TSOM fan fic yourself, then please come join us on facebook or our Proboard… PM me if you want to know more… Our board has just had its 1st Year anniversary and had it not been for this TSOM community, a lot of the great stories you read in here would NEVER have happened… We aim to inspire each other in what ever we write and micro analyze the movie… hope to see you among us…**


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